5 Ways to Identify Your Purpose and Unique Talent

How many of you 'get' the concept of finding your passion and building a business around it, but are struggling to make it happen?



I get it. Being told to find your passion is like being told to cheer up when you're feeling depressed. Not only is it not helpful, it's counter-productive because it just makes you feel even more disconnected from your inner gifts.



Wherever you are on the spectrum of finding purpose and meaning through your creative expertise, everything you need is within you. It's just a matter of bringing it to light, little by little.



Here are 5 ways to help you do that:




1) Meditate (any which way you can)



As those of you who've been hanging out with me a while know, I fervently believe personal and professional development go hand-in-hand. If you don't manage your mind someone else will do it for you (and believe me, that's never going to end well!) So how do you do that? Pretty much every entrepreneurial or spiritual leader will tell you the same thing - through meditation.



I know, I know, meditation's hard. Who wants to sit still, trying (and failing) to still their monkey mind, especially when there's so much to do? If sitting still and meditating feels too challenging, try listening to a guided meditation on your cell phone as you walk. Anything that stills your mind, even for a minute, is helpful. One minute a day. We can all try that, right? 




2) Look for ways to feel inspired




I can't tell you how many times I get an idea for a newsletter, talk or program by listening to an interview with someone I admire. In fact, this post was inspired by this Bren & Brown talk. No matter what field you're in, there are thought-leaders and pioneers paving the way. Read their books, go to conferences where they're speaking, watch or read interviews with them. Greatness is contagious, so rub elbows with those who've got it going on.




3) Get input from a trusted partner




The tricky thing about gifts is they come so easily to us, we think everyone possesses them. When in fact, it's precisely that gift that others need, and will pay for. Using a trusted partner as a mirror to help you identify your talents can be incredibly clarifying, so consider recruiting a great client, a supportive friend/accountability buddy, or a coach to help shine a light on it.




4) Identify the problems you are uniquely equipped to solve





The thing that makes your unique gift have value and IMPACT in the world is figuring out what problems you solve, and for whom. Knowing who your ideal client is will give you clarity, purpose and make your efforts all the more effective. Not knowing who your ideal clients are, or how you solve their biggest challenges, is often the missing piece of the puzzle for struggling entrepreneurs or freelancers.

5) Communicate how your ideal client benefits from your gifts

As a result of working with you, will your ideal client:  

- Have a more successful brand 
- Feel healthier 
- Have more free time 
- Make more money 
- Look better

People will only hire you if they can immediately see how doing so will positively transform their life. Take the time to really get clear on these benefits and make those the center of your messaging and content. I promise, it's a game changer. 

I get that there's a lot of information here and putting it all together, in the right order and sticking with it long enough to get results is a tall order. If you're ready to get the clarity you need to align your gifts, message and services with the clients who have the burning desire and money to invest in working with you, then take your time and follow these step. With discipline, determination and perservance you will discover your purpose and unique talents.

9 Laws of Healthy Living

Why only 9 laws for healthy living? and not 10, or 15, or 20? well I tend to live a simple lifestyle, and at the time of this writing these were my absolute top laws, so I will make this short, direct, and to the point no filibustering here.

My top 9 laws for healthy living encompass all areas of life, from relationships, family, business, finances, education, religion, whatever keep in mind these are MY top 9, not necessarily your top 9 so with that in mind, here we go:

Law #1. PUT GOD FIRST - Put God first in all your endeavors, trial and tribulations...if you truly trust God, then put it first in everything you do and are involved in from business decisions, personal decisions, family decisions, education decisions, financial decisions, etc. trust in thee have faith the 'ole saying that your heart is where your money is rings true by putting your trust and faith in God, life will be much smoother sailing....

Law #2. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE - maintaining a positive mental attitude means to me to have the right attitude for the given moment whatever the circumstance you find yourself in, stay positive but at the same time you have to deal with reality this is a learned trait and not always easy it takes practice and a willingness to keep it positive.

Law #3. LIVE BY THE PLATINUM (NOT GOLDEN) RULE - living by the platinum rule means to help others MORE than you would help yourself....if you strive to help others, then I believe you will definitely help yourself you see I believe not everything is quantitative and cannot be measured, we need a little faith so live by the platinum rule, to help others before and MORE than you help yourself and all will work out just fine.

Law #4. FOCUS - this is very important it can even be argued by some that those without faith, if you are truly focused on your objective, can achieve whatever the heart desires there may be a lot of truth in that, but I still believe that God comes first because anyone can be upbeat during the good times, but when that inevitable downturn occurs, how will you react, stay focused.

Law #5. GO THE EXTRA MILE - with this go the extra mile attitude, when you develop this habit, it spills over into everything you do for example, your boss says on Friday p.m. to have that report on his desk bright and early Monday a.m., but you have plans for the weekend what do you do? Well if you are efficient at multi-tasking, then just find a way to make it happen stay positive, get focused and get it done.

Law #6. A HEALTHY BODY EQUALS A HEALTHY MIND - never take your health for granted I know we don't live forever and eventually we will meet our maker, but our body is our temple, so keep it healthy eliminate those bad habits we tend to overindulge in, like alcohol, etc. I believe that if you feel good, your mind stays sharp, focused, and not distracted.

Law #7. NEVER GIVE UP, DON'T EVER GIVE UP - this is a great quote by one of the heroes ofhis time, the late great Jimmy Valvano (head men's basketball coach of North Carolina State University) and national championship coach he delivered his famous speech as he was battling cancer, and near the end of his life what an inspiration so in whatever you do, don't ever give up, keep at it. 

Law #8. STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE - I believe that if your focus is on being the absolute best you can be, every day, in whatever you are doing, then everything else will take care of itself if you strive for excellence, then success will surely follow. 

Law #9. LIVE WITH EXPECTANCY - living with expectancy to me means that we live with the expectations that your dreams, goals, and desires of your heart were put there by your maker and , so if you trust, it will be delivered to you if you truly believe so believe it, that today is your day, and live with expectancy.

Relax And Reduce Stress With These Tips

Do you allow stress and frustration to control your life? 

Do you feel like you can't make any headway against it? 

A life that has less stress in it is quite achievable. The advice set forth in the following article will free you from the stress in your life. 

 Do your best to control the stress level in your life. 

Stress is directly related to many health issues such as insomnia, ulcers, depression, strokes, and heart attacks. You will be less stressed if you sleep well, and less likely to develop any of these illnesses.

Make sure you aren't carrying tension in your jaw. 

Stress can be found in several parts of the body, but it is very common in the jaw. When you feel the tension in your face muscles, close your eyes and take deep breaths. 

Touch your jaw with your index finger, breathe in, then slowly breathe out. This is an exercise to help ease stress and discomfort.

A professional massage is recommended if you suffer from high levels of stress. People often have tense muscles in their bodies where stress manifests itself. 

A thorough massage relaxes your muscles and rubs away accumulated stress.

Being a pet owner has been known to alleviate the stress of everyday life. Spending time with your animal can help with your stress.

A great way to eliminate stress is to write about it. 

Sitting down and writing all about your problems can lift a stressful weight from your shoulders. It's particularly effective with those sorts of stresses that you feel uncomfortable sharing with other people. Keep a journal containing the things that stressed you out, and how you solved them or relieved your stress, that way you can refer back to it. 

To diminish your stress, you must first understand your stress. 

Understanding where the harmful stress in your life emanates from is crucial to controlling it. A person, situation, or even an object can be the cause of your stress. When you know exactly what brings about stress in your life, you can learn to cope with or eliminate these things. 

In order to avoid stressful situations, you should always plan ahead for potential problems. Keep a spare key in a handy, safe spot, always have a ready-to-go meal waiting for you at work, and be sure you always have a backup sitter on speed dial. If you can pre-plan for the worst case, it is easier to handle the situation. 

When you are stressed, be aware of any areas of the body that are clenched. Often people clench their lower back muscles, knuckles, shoulders or teeth. Once you have identified the areas that are tightened by stress, focus on stretching and relaxing them when you feel stress coming on. Relaxation and reduced tension will result from this. 

If you have problems with a particular class, a tutor can be very helpful. Tutors will help to prepare you in advance, reducing stress and procrastination over time. The best way to decrease anxiety is to make sure you are prepared for the situation that is coming up. 

As you have learned from the above article, things that cause stress in your life can be handled in various ways. You now have some tools for lessening all the stress that exists in your life. Apply the advice of this article to start feeling better, stronger and less stressed than ever before.

Great Personal Development Tips That Can Help You Reach Your Goals

Personal development can be confusing. It is often hard to know which step to take next. We are each unique. One technique may work for another person, but not for you, and vice-versa. Nonetheless, studying ideas in personal development is the best way to create your own plan, so continue reading tips like these, books and articles. 

Happiness is often lost to stress. You are harming yourself mentally and physically when there is too much stress in your life. So that we think clearly and work toward our goals in life, it is important that we eliminate stress from our minds. Have some time every day when you can relax and meditate in solitude. Taking the time to renew your center will help you to find peace within yourself.

Always read from multiple sources on personal development. Personal development books that are well written, insightful and instructive can provide you with the information you need to significantly enhance your outlook and your life. When selecting a book, look for positive reviews so that you can have a better idea of the purchase you are about to make.

Live your life according to your values. Everyone has certain beliefs that reinforce their sense of self at the core. If you have a good foundation to depend them upon (and you should), your self esteem will benefit from adherence to your core principles. Truly practicing these principles you believe in will give integrity to your character. 

Base your development plan on your values and goals. Trying to change yourself in ways that are not in line with your values, is not a good idea. When you change your attitude and perspective, difficult situations become easier to manage. By spending your time in these specific areas, you can make the changes in the areas that matter and have these changes stick with you. 

Identify your personal values to help you determine your personal development plan. Focusing on areas you don't value, doesn't make sense. Focus on positive aspects to improve. These aspects should mesh with your values. This allows you to implement personal and professional changes that will last forever. 

You need to have an emergency fund. Each time an unexpected expense crops up, it seems we wind up adding it to our credit cards. Putting back a few dollars weekly can build an emergency fund quickly. This "rainy day fund" gives the security of knowing we can manage our expenses and pay off our debts. 

 You need to care for yourself before you can care for others. Take time for rest and relaxation, whether your health is good or poor. 

If you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of others. Regardless of where you are on your path, whether you are thriving or failing, take the time to rest and restore yourself. 

Write a pep talk about yourself. List all of your good qualities on a postcard. Keep this card with you, and read through it when you feel your confidence flagging. Even better, read it aloud on video and watch the video often. Sounds intriguing, right? 

Do you frequently consume alcohol? The harmful ingredients in cigarettes can cause COPD, cancer and a huge list of other diseases. The body is sacred, and needs to be maintained accordingly. Deleting harmful patterns and obsessions will undoubtedly lead to an improved standard of living. Examine your habits, and determine whether any of them are harmful. Work toward eliminating them.
 

Therapy is indicated if you feel you cannot deal with your problems. Reading books on self-help may only take you so far. The personal consultation with a therapist gives more direct and focused help. Some people can find success in achieving their psychological issues just by being able to talk to someone about them. There is no way to have an open discussion with a book, though you can with a therapist. 

Do you consume alcohol more than you should? Are nicotine or other destructive habits something that harms you? Your body should be treated with the respect it deserves. If you want to start improving your life, you have to stop engaging in harmful activities. Look at your life, and decide if you have any bad habits that you need to work on getting rid of. 

This article should have shown you that helping yourself involves a lot of hard work to start making viable changes in your life. If you want to see results though, you must give these self help ideas more than a day to work. A more fulfilling life can be just as accessible as this article.